Poll: Romney leads on electability, but faces challenges

The latest Washington Post/ABC poll zeroes in on Mitt Romney's main advantage - being seen as the most "electable" of the field - but also his weaknesses, which are seen in most other categories and portend potential rough patches as the race enters a compressed phase.

Romney gets 24 percent, roughly where he's been in most national polls in recent weeks, and leads in electability. But that's about it, via Balz and Cohen:

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Romney’s lack of traction carries well beyond the head-to-head matchups with other competitors. It also is reflected on discrete issues and candidate attributes. Considerable numbers of Republicans and GOP-leaning independents consider the health plan that Romney signed into law in Massachusetts and his Mormon religion as strikes against him.

The survey tested the candidates on six attributes or characteristics. Romney has a sizable lead in just one: One-third of Republicans and GOP-leaning independents say he has the best chance of anyone in the field to defeat Obama in 2012. Running second on that question is businessman Herman Cain. About one-fifth say Cain would be the party’s strongest candidate.

Cain is basically tied with Romney in the poll, which was taken between Oct. 31 and Nov. 3. That's the window during which there was heavy national focus on the reports of past sexual harassment allegations made against Cain.

The majority of Republicans said the allegations don't impact them possibly voting for Cain.

The poll also underscored the ways in which Cain is positioned right now as the strongest anti-Romney candidate, including taking enough of a portion of crossover votes between the two to impact the Massachusetts governor's tally:

In the other five areas tested in the new survey, Romney shows no greater strength than other GOP contenders. On empathy, 21 percent say Cain is the one who best understands their problems, compared with Romney’s 17 percent. On honesty, it’s Cain at 22 percent, Romney at 17 percent. The two also run closely on the economy and issues generally, while Newt Gingrich rivals Romney on upholding core Republican values.

The Post-ABC survey highlights the divide within the party between the most conservative Republicans and all others. Romney’s candidacy will be directly affected by the composition of the primary and caucus electorates. The more conservative the electorate, the more challenged he could be.